Tuesday 2nd May 2023 (Series 87, Preliminary 72)

[James Robinson]

Countdown recap for Tuesday 2 May 2023.

C1: Champion Alex Blundy (2 wins, 158 points.) An 18-year-old student from Oxfordshire.
C2: Challenger Jeremy Butler. A copyrighter from Newcastle, but originally from Torquay.
DC: Susie Dent and Cheryl Baker.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.

R01: S N G U I E T P I
R02: J R G O E U M R D
R03: 100, 50, 7, 2, 1, 3. Target: 501.
TTT: MOONYEAR - "It's about getting to know what's above you."
R04: G N S R I E O H T
R05: L N S A E A D G E
R06: 25, 9, 5, 2, 6, 7. Target: 554.
R07: C T B A I O S K E
R08: F M R N A I A L E
R09: 50, 75, 10, 8, 9, 6. Target: 628.
TTT: WOOLSTUB - "On the road or in a restaurant, you'll be bursting."
R10: T D N P A E O N E
R11: S W T A O E P H A
R12: R S L R U I O T I
R13: N T G E A U R Y I
R14: 100, 8, 4, 2, 4, 10. Target: 121.
R15: L E E L I T G A S (conundrum)


And now a brief interlude before our main feature:

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Enjoy the show.

Round 1: S N G U I E T P I

Alex: SUITING (7)
Jeremy: UNTIES (6)
DC: SPITING (7) PUNIEST (7)
OT: PINGUITES (18)
Score: 7–0 (max 18)

Round 2: J R G O E U M R D

Alex: -
Jeremy: MURDER (6)
DC: MUDGE (5) MOUGE (5) MODGE (5)
OT: DORMER (6) DOURER (6) DROGUE (6) GOURDE (6) JUDGER (6) MOGUED (6) MORGED (6) MORGUE (6) MURRED (6) ORDURE (6) ROGUED (6) ROGUER (6) ROUGED (6)
Score: 7–6 (max 24)

Round 3: 100, 50, 7, 2, 1, 3. Target: 501.

Alex: 501. ((7 + 3) x 50) + 1 (10)
Jeremy: 501. ((7 - 2) x 100) + 1 (10)
Score: 17–16 (max 34)

Teatime teaser: MOONYEAR -> AERONOMY

Round 4: G N S R I E O H T

Alex: HORNIEST (8)
Jeremy: rehosting
DC: THINGERS (8) SHORTING (8)
OT: GENITORS (8) OTHERING (8) RIGHTENS (8) ROSETING (8) TRIGONES (8)
Score: 25–16 (max 42)

Round 5: L N S A E A D G E

Alex: DANGLES (7)
Jeremy: LEASED (6)
DC: SELADANG (8)
Score: 32–16 (max 50)

Round 6: 25, 9, 5, 2, 6, 7. Target: 554.

Alex: 563.
Jeremy: 553. ((9 + 6 + 7) x 25) + 5 - 2 (7)
RR: 554. (((5 + 6) x 25) + 9 - 7) x 2 (10)
Score: 32–23 (max 60)

Cheryl talks about how the voting procedure at Eurovision has changed since her win in 1981.

Round 7: C T B A I O S K E

Alex: bickets
Jeremy: SETBACK (7)
DC: ICEBOATS (8)
Score: 32–30 (max 68)

Round 8: F M R N A I A L E

Alex: FLAMIER (7)
Jeremy: FLAMIER (7)
DC: INFLAMER (8) malefrain
OT: MANERIAL (8) MARFANIL (8) RIFLEMAN (8)
Score: 39–37 (max 76)

Round 9: 50, 75, 10, 8, 9, 6. Target: 628.

Alex: 630. (75 x 8) + ((50 / 10) x 6) (7)
Jeremy: 625.
RR: 628. (75 x 10) - 50 - (8 x 9) (10)
Score: 46–37 (max 86)

Teatime teaser: WOOLSTUB -> BLOWOUTS

Round 10: T D N P A E O N E

Alex: PENDANT (7)
Jeremy: NOTEPAD (7)
OT: ANTEPONED (18)
Score: 53–44 (max 104)

Round 11: S W T A O E P H A

Alex: WASTE (5)
Jeremy: SWATHE (6)
DC: PATHOS (6)
OT: WAPATOES (8)
Score: 53–50 (max 112)

Susie's Origins Of Words talks about the origins of "char".

Round 12: R S L R U I O T I

Alex: RIOTS (5)
Jeremy: TOURS (5)
DC: TOILS (5) SUITOR (6)
OT: IRRITS (6)
Score: 58–55 (max 118)

Round 13: N T G E A U R Y I

Alex: TEARING (7)
Jeremy: URINATE (7)
DC: TANGIER (7) GANTRY (6)
OT: RUINEYAT (8)
Score: 65–62 (max 126)

Round 14: 100, 8, 4, 2, 4, 10. Target: 121.

Alex: 121. (2 x 10) + 100 + ((8 - 4) / 4) (10)
Jeremy: 121. (10 x 2) + (4 / 4) + 100 (10)
Score: 75–72 (max 136)

Round 15: L E E L I T G A S

Jeremy buzzes on 29 seconds to say GALLIEST which is incorrect.
Alex buzzes on 29.25 seconds to say LEGITASE which is incorrect.
The answer, correctly given by Cheryl, was LEGISLATE.
Final Score: 75–72 (max 146)

Statistics Corner

Alex:
Total score - 75
Raw score - 85
Total % of max - 51
Raw % of max - 58
Total average score per round - 5.0
Raw average score per round - 5.7
Number of maxes - 3

Jeremy:
Total score - 72
Raw score - 91
Total % of max - 49
Raw % of max - 62
Total average score per round - 4.8
Raw average score per round - 6.0
Number of maxes - 3

Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=87